D-I-Y

Or DO It YOURSELF...

This is a great way to save money, but not everyone is the DIY bride, but take a look at the money I am saving doing my OWN invitations.


Price for 200 Invitations @ weddingPaperDivas.com = $298 + tax
Price for 200 Invitations @ Fancy $6 an invitation shoppe = $1,200 + tax
Price for 200 DIY Invitations @ Michael's = $74.98 + tax (using 50% off coupons)

Now you don't have to be a Rocket Scientist to figure out which way to go here?!?!?


I googled Michael's Coupons and found a link to 50% off coupons for any ONE item per visit, so I just go at lunch every day and get a box :) (40ct per box need 5 boxes) and it has a HOW to print guide and response cards included. WHAT A STEAL! Print from home and VIOLA mega savings!!!

Check out my invitations in the attached photo! Its has a real ribbon below that raised card stock, it looks really elegant and like the pro's did it, for a fraction of the cost!

Sweet Dreams are made of these...

So I guess this is the phase of wedding planning where I start to panic just a little? I have started to have "night terrors" EVERY night about W-Day and the Ultimate mishaps. For example last night I was standing at the altar with D saying our I Do's and I realized I never bought his wedding band?!? So I started to harass every guest at the wedding until I found a men's size 10 wedding band. Dream #2 I arrive at the reception to see my lime green table cloths were now sage green, and my table runners were too short and the wrong pattern, OHH THE HORROR. LOL I guess this will be the usual as we near our big day.

On a happy note, we have chosen our photographer (cue Hallelujah Chorus), after much consideration we decided to go with Matt because A) He is brilliant with a camera B) He asked me 100's of question like "How did you and D meet?" "How did he propose?", "What are your favorite things to do together?" etc. C) He is the ONLY photographer we talked to that was giving a discount due to the tough economic times we are having. He is giving us 40% off the package of our choice. He called it "paying it forward" he knows times are tough and photography shouldn't be sacrificed, we meet with him tomorrow, and are super excited!
Check him out @ http://matthewmichaelphoto.com/
Tell him Amber and Dave sent ya :)


Advertisement from my mom:
Yard Sale Friday July 3rd 6:00am @ 2000 Bellwood Ct. Greenbrier (Mom and Dad's) come get some junk! You know you need a 9ft Christmas Tree!

Happy Monday
-A

Helpful tidbits

I know I have a few Brides to be following me, so here are a few Helpful Friday tid-bits


Blogs to read religiously:

http://adelightfulday.typepad.com/blog/

http://www.ashleysbrideguide.com/

http://www.snippetandink.blogspot.com/

http://thebudgetsavvybride.com/

http://www.projectwedding.com/blog/

Picture This....

By far the most stressful decision I have had to make is WHO is going to capture our big day through the eye of a lens?! There are 100's of different photographers in Nashville, all with various degree's of talent, styles, packages, and pricing. It is really all about your personal style and finding a photographer that can capture your style. What do you mean Amber?

1. Are you a Pose ONLY kinda Bride? Do you want to be told to stand here look here tilt your head to the left 3/4 degree? Maybe you are a candid bride, you want them to capture both of you and your love for one another, almost like the paparazzi you don't even know are there (this is my style).

2. How much are you willing to spend, a GOOD photographer is going to cost you $1000-2,000. A 5 star Photog is going to run you into the $5,000 range. So budget accordingly.

3. Time, how much time are you getting for your money, just about every photographer has a minimum of 4 hours of coverage all the way up to the WHOLE day, again its all about the budget.

4. It is so important to look at the work of the photographer online, thorough a book, or a friend referral!!!

5. Meet with the Photographer ask them LOTS of questions, make sure you get along, you are going to be with them more than your spouse to be on wedding day!

6. What is your back up plan in case your camera breaks? How long can I order prints from you? Can I order prints from you? Do I get a digital copy of ALL my photos?


Pictures will be all you have once the memory of your big day starts to fade, so make sure you INVEST wisely in a great photographer that will capture the true love between you and your honey!

Here are some talented Nashville Area Photogs (just to name a few):
http://www.matthewmichaelphoto.com/
http://www.affordable-weddings.com/
http://www.phindystudios.com/


As for me, I have narrowed it down to 3 Photographers (not the 3 above), I am now making sure I get the best deal for the money I am going to spend, and who has our best interest at heart on W-Day!



HAPPY FRIDAY!

Crusin' is made for love!

Honeymoon Deets:
We are set to Sail to Progreso Yucatan and Cozumel Mexico via Mobile, Alabama for our Honeymoon! I got a killer deal at $219 a person for booking it so early though carnival.com! That makes my budget very happy :)

Also, check out http://cruises.affordabletours.com for other great Cruising Specials. The key to a great deal is booking it EARLY and always make sure to pay the extra for travel insurance, you wouldn't want your special trip to be ruined for anything!


Up next picking a photographer (most stressful decision to date), and Picking a DJ, do you really need to be paid $125 dollars an hour to push PLAY? UGH

Cake Wrecks!

There are so many great blogs out there, and Cake Wrecks is one of the funniest around.

Today she is celebrating YES with a bunch of NO's! My cake is going to be quite simple, but elegant (See attached Photo, just imagine lime green accents). My good friend Kristen Harrison is doing it for me.


Link to Cake Wrecks: http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2009/06/celebrating-yes-with-bunch-of-nos.html

TO DO to I DO

We have SOOOoooo much to get done in just 13 little weeks. Here is my priority list

1. Invitations (gotta get em' ordered)
2. Passports (we are goin' crusin')
3. Photographer (gotta book her)

These are my top 3, believe it or not we have accomplished a ton in just a week, from dresses, tux's, gowns, and registries, site locations, and much more.

My focus for today is finishing the Bed Bath and Beyond Registry at lunch!

Dave and I had a great time in Kentucky seeing the DeForest fam. and celebrating fathers day and our engagement along with Dave's brother Lee. He popped the question to Miss Whitney on Friday at the movie theatre (he put it on the screen). The whole DeForest family went to see "The Proposal" on Saturday night, it just seemed appropriate, I give it 2 thumbs up! We capped the weekend off with a Hoolihan family visit to celebrate Father's Day with my dad, good times. We are both so blessed to have such wonderful stong, supportive families!

Ken-Tuk-E

Dave and I are in Kentucky this weekend visiting his grandmother, parents, and friends. I want to share a link for any Brides to Be reading this.

Ashley's Bride Guide is the most useful resource on the web for Tennessee Brides, check it out and visit daily, there is always something new!

Amber


http://www.ashleysbrideguide.com/

SASSY

Think Don Draper from "Mad Men" meets Audrey Hepburn, that is the look I am going for with my good lookin' wedding party. Here is a glimpse at what they will be sporting down the isle.

Inspi-red

For those of you that know me well, you know I have been a bridesmaid 10 times (27 dresses was written to make me look pathetic). So I am well versed in the art of pulling a wedding together. With that said, here is a look at my inspiration board, and the look and theme I am going for with my September nuptials. I am renting table cloths and table runners from http://www.southerneventsonline.com. My Invitations are coming from a DIY pack at Michaels. I have a dear friend acting as my wedding coordinator, she is going to be a HUGE help, and most importantly help me pull this off!

How did we get here?

By: MOH Jackie Crumley

David moved to Nashville in August of 2008, not long after that he started work at R.T. Fischer High School . There he met Amber's long time friend Daniel Claytor, who was a counselor at the school. Daniel got to know David and thought he would be a great fit for Amber. He worked some magic and after some convincing was able to get the two in touch. After several phone conversations, David and Amber decided to meet at the Starbucks in Rivergate for coffee.

Amber was her usual 15 minutes late, so David called his buddy to tell him, "I don't think she is coming, man, I am going to leave." Right then, time slowed down, the wind machine started to blow, and Amber walked through the door, just like in the movies. He nearly spilled his Frappachino! (yes, it was a Frappachino) They chatted, decided to go out to dinner, and had a wonderful evening. David thought, "Yeah, she was great, but I am not looking for anything serious. So I probably won't call her again." Amber thought, "man he is a giant smart aleck, but he sure does have some cute dimples. Maybe he will call?"

Divine intervention, fate, serendipity, or kismet - call it what you like but he called her again! They began dating and quickly fell for each other. Recently, David asked Amber for her hand in marriage and the two could not be happier!

Ring a Ding Ding!!!

So how did he do it? Well for those of you that know Dave this story will not come as a shock, for those of you that don't I hope you can see the Humor in it.

Dave met me for lunch at work on 6/17/09, he came in and met some of my co-workers and then we headed to lunch at Dan McGuinness one of our favorite places. As we stepped out of the car Dave walked over and gave me a huge and started to say sweet things in my ear. I said to him "we are pathetic, we have only been apart for a day" He said "I know we are" as he said that he placed a small round object in my hand and then went for his knee, I just kept saying, "Dave, David, David, DAV-ID, DAVID, OMG" During this he apparently asked me to be his wife, I didn't hear him becuase I was to busy talking (shocker), so we hugged (still in the parking lot), and kissed. Dave then looked at me and said "I know this isn't the story you want to tell our children, but that ring was burning a hole in my pocket!" For me it was perfect, it was 100% real from the heart, and all Dave. I couldn't be more proud of him!

So that is it WE ARE ENGAGED!

100 Days til W Day!

Hello Friends and Family,
We are just 100 days away from our wedding and I thought it would be fun to share this journey with you, and to show you brides-to-be out there that you CAN plan a gorgeous wedding on a budget in just 100 days.